LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION AS TREATMENT FOR ARTERIOPORTAL FISTULAS

The authors present the case of a 14-year-old boy with secondary porta l hypertension caused by arterio-portal fistulae. Ascites, edema, seve re abdominal pain, and steatorrhea developed in the patient. In an att empt to decrease arterioportal flow the authors carried out vascular e mbolization that was partially successful. A liver transplant was perf ormed as a last therapeutic resource in view of the fact that it const itutes an accepted therapy for patients with severe liver disease. Ort hotopic liver transplantation may be considered as another possible tr eatment of arterio-portal fistulae. J Pediatr Surg 33:938-940, Copyrig ht (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.